NO MORE SORROW
by fishcakefan
Summary: Sometimes you're not ready to face your destiny. However, when the time comes, no one can resist. Not even Uchiha Sasuke.


Umm, here goes my first story. I hope you enjoy it. And I'd like to thank my friend for all the kind and encouraging words. I've tried to work on the things you pointed out and I hope I made you proud. This is for you, neel-chan!

Disclaimer: I'm just one of those thousand fangirls who wish they owned something of Naruto but don't. Life is harsh that way.

* * *

Isolation.

It was an ache both Sasuke and Naruto knew well. It had been something that had connected them throughout their lives and even as they spend their childhood ignoring each other's existence, they _knew_ the connection was there.

Uzumaki Naruto had been rejected all his life for reasons he was never explained. He never knew the love of a family, the loving comfort of friendship, not even a fleeting look of kindness. He could've given up, just faded away. Nobody needed him. He didn't have a purpose in life and sometimes the loneliness of being an unnecessary inconvenience threatened to swallow him whole. However, amidst all the glares he received regularly, there was one that told him he wasn't alone. It was his light, his ray of hope that pierced through the darkness that was his life.

Later he would confirm that this person was just a cold, mean, cocky son of a bitch with ridiculous duck butt hair that co-incidentally looked good on him. But he didn't mind. In his arguments, he had found his rival, his best friend and maybe something more and unnamed.

When Sasuke left after Orochimaru, Naruto was broken, in every sense of the word. As he lay in the hospital bed, wounded and hurting, he realized he was afraid. He was afraid for Sasuke, what Orochimaru would do to him, afraid that Sasuke would succumb to the darkness whose potency he knew all too well, afraid that he would lose Sasuke, in more ways than one.

He wanted Sasuke back. No, he needed Sasuke to return. His promise to Sakura turned into his own personal mission and he couldn't afford to fail.

* * *

'Dumb. Dumb! DUMB!' he thought angrily. Why did Sasuke have to leave Konoha for that traitor?! He understood Sasuke's need for revenge. Really, he did! But did it have to be that creepy snake bastard? They could have trained together, become stronger right here in the village. If he had asked, Naruto would even have lent Sasuke his Gai spandex suit to help with his training but NO! His royal jerkness just had to go and make things difficult for everyone!

He was a genin when he attacked Itachi, for crying out loud! _A genin_! What was he hoping to accomplish? It was Uchiha freakin' Itachi they were dealing with! One defeat and he was running after S-class pedophile ninjas, like a PMS ridden teenager!

Thinking of Sasuke only made him angrier and that certainly did not help with his training. He needed to calm down. He knew what he had to do. Train hard, become a badass ninja, beat Sasuke and drag him back home.

"I'm bringing you back, believe it!" he yelled, out loud.

"Dodge, you idiot!" Jiraiya screamed.

Naruto turned around just in time to get hit by a low powered rasengan flat on his face.

"This is what happens when you space out in the midst of training." Jiraiya sighed as Naruto's limp form spiraled into the air and landed 5 meters away.

'You'll pay for this, Sasuke.' Naruto groaned.

* * *

A few years later, Naruto found out that Sasuke had managed to kill Itachi. He did not feel any relief about having the Akatsuki member off his back or any hope that Sasuke would come back. If anything, he felt that Sasuke's revenge had pushed him away further; just like it always had.

Sasuke had killed his brother. A murderer, perhaps, but his brother, nonetheless.

'So Sasuke is coming back…. To destroy the village' Naruto snorted. 'Trust the bastard to jump from one difficult situation to another'.

He sat atop the Hokage Mountain looking over the village that he loved and had vowed to protect. The very same village that had wronged him and destroyed Sasuke. Yes, he was sure that the village had something to do with Sasuke's new mission. Sasuke may be a drama queen but he wouldn't choose to destroy his old village for no reason at all.

Some people thought that Sasuke had gone mad. After defeating his brother, he had no purpose left in life and in his insanity; he was coming to destroy the village that his brother had once belonged to. Even Sakura seemed convinced. But, Naruto knew better. Sasuke wasn't the kind to lose to something as powerless as life. His hunger for power may have been fueled by his hatred for Itachi but his passion was his own. Even without Itachi, he would've turned out to be the arrogant, moody bastard that he was. Maybe a little less of a jerk but still the same Sasuke he had come to know and …. think of as his ….. best friend.

But, could he honestly say that he still knew Sasuke? It had been years and maybe the others were right. Maybe Sasuke had changed…..

No, he couldn't believe that! He would save Sasuke from the enemies and from himself, just like Sasuke had saved him many times before.

The village didn't get it. Even his friends didn't understand why Naruto would go to such limits to save Sasuke, even if they had been friends before. But their bond was so much more important than people's opinions. Only a person who had been lonely all his life would understand the importance of their bond, and that is how he knew that Sasuke still cared. He may hide it well but deep inside he still longed for the warmth of companionship that had been denied to him all this time.

'Let him come here. One way or another, my chase will be over.'

And with that decision, he turned around and headed towards the training grounds.

* * *

They faced each other alone, quite a distance away from the village to make sure that they would not be interrupted. Sasuke had sent him a message through a clone asking Naruto to meet him there. Naruto had gone alone, understanding Sasuke's intentions.

'The bastard is hopeless,' he thought, dryly. 'He goes through the trouble of calling me all the way out here and still keeps on telling himself that he doesn't care! What a stupid jerk.' Denial _really_ wasn't just a river in Egypt.

"Let us finish what we started a long time before now, shall we?" Sasuke drawled.

"You sound like Orochimaru." Naruto deadpanned.

"And you're still a dobe."

"So says the bastard dressed up like a fucking woman!."

Sasuke glared but didn't argue.

"Let's just do this, shall we?" Naruto demanded, impatience seeping into his voice.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow, silently questioning his usually hyperactive friend but Naruto just looked back calmly. Sasuke crushed the bitterness that rose within him at Naruto's indifference.

Sasuke attacked first. They fought silently but surely. None of them used their more powerful attacks and they didn't fail to notice that. They danced around each other, surprised how easily their bodies worked together even after all these years. The unspoken words remained a heavy presence in the atmosphere but neither of them wanted to be the first one to speak.

Finally, Sasuke grew tired of their game. He pushed Naruto away and sheathed his sword. Then he turned around and calmly walked away. He walked slowly, as if asking Naruto to follow. And Naruto did. A short walk led them towards the river that flowed in the midst of the forest. Sasuke sat down on the bank followed by Naruto.

They sat in like that for a while till Naruto, who wasn't built to sit still for too long, broke the silence.

"I won't ask you to return to the village, Sasuke. Not this time," he said.

Sasuke nodded without turning to look at Naruto, hoping his disappointment was not obvious. Silence reigned again and Naruto started fidgeting. He was about to yell at Sasuke when he spoke up.

"Why have you given up now?" He asked, interrupting whatever Naruto had opened his mouth to say. He was still facing the river, hoping that the question hadn't sounded too needy. He had debated a long time before asking this question, starting from the moment Naruto had appeared and not demanded him to come back to Konoha. 'Come back. Tch. Am I already thinking of going back to that place?' He asked himself.

Naruto could feel, rather than see how difficult it had been for Sasuke to ask that. The bastard had a better poker face than a rock, after all. His heart tightened at the confirmation that Sasuke still cared. He didn't want Naruto to give up.

"When you left with Orochimaru, I chased after you because you were being dumb and running away from the place where you were loved and cherished."

Sasuke turned to look at Naruto. 'Loved?' Did this mean that he could still hope?

"But this time is it really the right thing to do?" Naruto paused, like the question was meant for Naruto himself. Suddenly Naruto looked at Sasuke straight in his eyes and asked, "What did they do?"

Sasuke turned away, unable to face the intensity in Naruto's gaze. If only he had listened to Naruto, maybe he wouldn't have made the worst mistake of his life. Now, he would have to live with the pain forever which flared to life at Naruto's reminder. Could he tell Naruto the truth? Would he believe him? Or would he take the side of his beloved village and defend it? Then he remembered that Naruto deserved to know. After years of chasing after him, he should know the reason why all his efforts had been a waste. And then, there was the fact that Sasuke had come back for Naruto. If there was to be any chance of him getting Naruto to forgive him, he would need to know.

Naruto saw how Sasuke eyes tightened with hidden pain and how his body recoiled into itself, and it hurt him too. He wanted to comfort Sasuke, tell him that he would make things better but he couldn't. So he decided to shut up and wait for Sasuke to become ready, against the very law of nature.

Sasuke realized it was uncharacteristically quiet with Naruto around and wondered if Naruto had really changed so much. The thought depressed him for the sole reason that he had missed it. While he was away, searching for power, there had been so much of Naruto's life that he had missed. Was it really too late for them?

Sasuke looked at Naruto from the corner of his eyes and found him sitting stiffly with his whole body turned in Sasuke's direction, looking like he was ready to burst, which he probably was after staying quiet for so long (well, long by Naruto's standards). Was the dobe actually holding his breath?

Naruto's reaction provided him the reassurance he needed. What was he worrying about? This was Naruto- his best friend and the most annoying usuratonakachi on this side of the planet; the person who had chased after him without fearing for his own life to save a friend who had betrayed him on numerous occasions. Naruto may have changed but so had Sasuke. It didn't matter because the idiot just didn't know when to give up. He would never allow anything to break their bond.

So, he told Naruto in short, clipped sentences about the truth behind the Uchiha massacre.

But Naruto didn't look satisfied. Of course, Naruto would need to hear about Sasuke's feelings about the whole thing to understand fully. Naruto was a simple idiot. He did not understand people's manipulations, he understood feelings.

"I chased after him, learning only to hate, to live only in the past because it was my duty to avenge my clan. I left the life that I had here behind, left the few people I had begun to care about,"- a shy glance in Naruto's direction who grinned back, encouragingly,-"But I never regretted it… that is until I found out the truth from my aniki right before he died."

Sasuke grit his teeth in frustration and barely suppressed anger. He may have found out the truth but that didn't mean he wasn't angry with his brother for manipulating him so cruelly throughout his life. He didn't regret knowing the truth but he couldn't help but think that things would've been much less complicated had he not known.

"Once again my life was about revenge. Konoha had to pay for what they had done to my clan. Not everyone could've been involved! There were innocent people that were killed. And my brother? Wasn't he only fulfilling his duty? But they betrayed him too! I thought destroying the village would be the final act of leaving my past behind…."

Naruto nodded conveying that he understood. They'd all heard Sasuke's avenger speech before.

"But?" Naruto prompted when Sasuke didn't speak further.

Sasuke gave him a look that clearly showed that he was an idiot to not understand. The sad part was that Sasuke was right. Sasuke sighed. He had forgotten how annoying Naruto could get with his oblivious nature. It made dealing with him all the more difficult.

"You." Sasuke stated.

"Me?" Naruto squeaked but got no reaction from Sasuke. Clearly, it had been difficult for Sasuke to squeeze out that one word that revealed that even the mighty Sasuke Uchiha was bothered by something as petty as feelings.

"So what now?" Naruto asked, clearly not understanding where this was leading.

Sasuke shrugged. "Honestly? I still wouldn't mind destroying this cursed village. It wouldn't even be that hard. Everything is set. All they're waiting is for my orders."

"And you will find yourself facing me."

"I know."

The silence that followed was one filled with anticipation laced with frustration. It seemed that fate would always work against them. Luckily, they weren't the kind of people who let something like that stop them.

"I still don't understand your logic. If you're going to attack, why call me out here and warn me? And don't tell me that you're going to kill me anyway because a) I'm too strong and b) you really have no intention of killing me. Believe me, I can tell," Naruto said, placing his hands on his chest where Sasuke had run him through with a chidori when they were just children.

Sasuke cringed internally at the reminder. He had much to apologize for. 'Well, better late than never,' he thought dryly.

"I was young and stupid, blinded with the hatred and the power that Orochimaru had promised to give me. The curse seal didn't help," he explained. 'Well, that didn't come out right.' He had meant to apologize but ended up sounding defensive. Dammit! Why was this so difficult?

Naruto snorted. "No hard feelings, bastard. I admit that even I wanted to hurt you back then." A short pause. "You were always such a jerk." He added as an afterthought.

"Nothing's changed much." Sasuke smirked and reluctantly added, "I hope?"

Naruto was surprised. Was Sasuke really asking if everything was alright between the two of them? When was the last time Sasuke had admitted to their bond being important to him? Oh yeah! Right before he had almost killed Naruto, when they were 12. But this was Sasuke and Naruto knew that if Sasuke was asking for forgiveness, things must really be serious. Besides, he had never blamed Sasuke for anything and would take any chance he got to drag him back home. Then he remembered that he wasn't trying to do that anymore.

"Nothing has changed, Sasuke." Naruto assured him. "But if you attack the village, I will fight against you and neither of us will live to regret your stupid decision."

Sasuke nodded. Another awkward silence followed. It seemed to be the new trend.

"I'll have to leave soon. They'll get suspicious at the village soon. I'm on a tight leash currently." Naruto said, finally. "They think I'll betray them for you."

If Sasuke didn't deserve Naruto, neither did the village. How many times had Naruto proved himself? How many times had he risked his own life to protect this ungrateful bunch? Even now when Sasuke was here, he still chose to protect them and instead of acknowledging his efforts, they doubted him? Their behavior was unforgivable!

"The village has wronged you, too." Sasuke reminded him.

Naruto gave him a sad smile and Sasuke's insides clenched in pain. "I know what you're asking but I'm sorry."

Sasuke nodded, stiffly, the pain increasing tenfold. It was always that village, taking away the only things that mattered to him.

"I care about you too, idiot." Naruto yelled. 'I care about you the most and that is why I must stop you! Can't you see? I'm doing this to protect you from the darkness you have pushed yourself into. If you do this, there will be no turning back, Sasuke. And I'm not allowing that to happen to you, no matter what I have to do." At the last sentence, his voice turned harsh and determined.

For a moment, Sasuke basked in the knowledge that he still had Naruto with him. It hadn't been snatched away from, yet.

"Hatred can make you lose your reasoning. It can make you hurt the people you do not want to hurt," Naruto continued, giving Sasuke a meaningful gaze. "So many people lost their loved ones during the battle against Kyuubi. It was natural for them to lash out at the person they felt was responsible for everything." Naruto sighed. "I'm not saying it was right. I'm saying that I understand."

Naruto looked away from him, staring at the starless sky and continued in a distant voice, "When Orochimaru took you from m- uhh from Konoha, I could have killed him a thousand times and not be satisfied. For a second I thought of letting the kyuubi out just so that man could die a painful death… Such bloodlust. I'd be a hypocrite if I judged them for hating me."

Sasuke listened in awe. Naruto's words made him feel so insignificant and his hatred seem so petty. And in that moment, Sasuke made his decision. This village had already taken everything from him once. He would not allow it to happen again.

"Being hokage has always been my dream. I want the people to acknowledge me and understand that they don't have to fear me. When the third hokage sacrificed himself, it only made me want it more because I understood his feelings. I know it's a precious feeling to be needed, to have something worthwhile to protect." Naruto pleaded Sasuke with his eyes, begging him to understand.

Sasuke nodded but it wasn't so much in understanding as it was to erase the pained look in Naruto's eyes.

"In your case, it was just a few higher ups right? How can you kill everyone in your rampage, simply because you can? _Innocent_ people are going to be killed. Can you live with that?" Naruto asked, throwing Sasuke's own words at him.

Once again Sasuke was surprised by Naruto's understanding. He always gained more insight with his simple logic than any philosopher could ever hope to. Naruto was one of the rare ones who saw the pure truth. No bullshit.

"Then why have you given up on bringing me back to the village?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto was taken aback by Sasuke's sudden and almost meek question. Was this what was bothering Sasuke?

"I would like nothing more for you to return home with me because despite what you say or believe, Konoha will always be your home. I will never forget you and your home is where there are people who will always care for you and… l-love you." Naruto flushed a brilliant shade of red but continued,"But it's obvious that you'll never be happy there, with a constant reminder of the betrayal. I can't be so selfish to ask that of you, no matter how I feel."

Sasuke stared at him like he was the most idiotic person in the entire world.

"And what makes you say that, dobe?" Sasuke asked, critically. "If you can move on, so can I."

Naruto gaped like a fish. Was Sasuke really agreeing on forgetting everything and coming back?

"I'm not saying it will be easy and I'm certainly not saying that I'm forgiving them for what they did. I'll certainly be asking for those old cooks to be punished and I'll make sure to attend their execution.' Sasuke explained. "As for the rest of it, I can deal with it as long as the person who makes up my _home _continues to _love_ me." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto's blush which had receded came back with full force and he sputtered, unable to form full sentences in his embarrassment.

Sasuke laughed at Naruto's reaction. It wasn't a loud boisterous laugh that was a trademark of Naruto but a gentle release of breath. His eyes shone with amusement and something that looked like hope; nothing like the dead look he had sported ever since Itachi's visit when he had been 12.

Naruto's eyes softened as he watched Sasuke laugh, probably for the first time in many years. He had finally managed to get Sasuke back and he was so happy that it didn't even matter that he'd have to face Tsunade's wrath in a few hours and even after that it would be an arduous journey getting everyone to accept Sasuke again. As long as he had Sasuke, he could face anything.

"Come on, then. Let's do this, yosh!" he cried, enthusiastically.

They got up and slowly walked back to the village, talking about everything and nothing. As they approached the village gates, they watched as Kotetsu squinted and finally gasped, nudging his partner, Izumo to confirm that he wasn't dreaming. Izumo seemed to have frozen with surprise as he watched Naruto and Sasuke calmly strolling back like one of them wasn't a wanted S-class missing ninja.

"Chill, guys. It's just the bastard returning home. We'll be heading straight to the Hokage's office so no need to raise an alarm." Naruto told them, calmly, as they passed the two shocked ninjas.

"Oi, Naruto!" Kotetsu screamed after him, getting up to chase after them. But Izumo stopped him.

"We were all idiots to doubt Naruto." He said. "After all he never goes back on his word, right? Let them go. I'm sure they'll be fine now that they are together."

Kotetsu didn't seem convinced but trusted his partner not to go after them. They returned to their previous activity- making out.

"This is going to be a bitch, isn't it?" Sasuke murmured, as he watched the Hokage glaring daggers at him from her window above.

Naruto snickered at Sasuke's obvious discomfort. "Don't worry, bastard! I can be very persuasive when I want to and I'm nothing if not stubborn." He beamed at Sasuke with pride filtering into his voice.

Sasuke hn'd his agreement.

"When all this is over and I've saved your ass, again, you'll be treating me to Ichiraku ramen, ok?"

"Sure, dobe. It's a date."

Sasuke enjoyed the play of emotions on Naruto's face and smirked. He walked into the building, deciding to get it over it as soon as possible so that he move on to that date.

-fin-


End file.
